Counter



April' 11, 1939. y w H, BAIN 2,154,023

COUNTER `Fi1ed Aug. 11, 193e Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE Y COUNTER y william H. Bain, Lewiston, Maine Application August 11, 1936, Serial No. 95,364

' s claims. (ci. afs- 68) This invention consists in improvements in molded counters of general application, but particularly counters intended for use in making turn shoes whereby the quality of such shoes may be improved and their manufacture facilitated, simplified and reduced in cost.

A great many turn shoes have been made heretofore by processes in which the shank and heell seat are left open until after the shoe has been turned. In some cases the fastening of the sole has been completedby stitching the shank lthrough-and-through and then nailing the heelseat. Since the second last must be removed for such a stitching step, it will be seen that the lo process discussed involves a second relasting step and, in any case, the shank stitching and heelseat nailing operations require the employment of two different machines in progressive stages of manufacture.

On the contrary, the process of my invention is characterized by fastening the shank and heelseat portion of the sole by inserting a series of nbre pegs continuously, in a step-by-step manner about the margin of the sole. That is, by a v single operation, carried out while the shoe remains upon its second last, the sole is completely secured by non-metallic fasteners al1 driven by the same machine under the control of a single operator, This not only obviates the necessity 3C'` of a second relasting step but it supplies a particularly secure ,light weight fastening for the sole which, among other advantages, does not interfere with the subsequent heel nailing operation. In point of security, the bre peg is unsurpassed since it may be sized with glue and driven while the sole is damp and in temper so that it forms a cementitious bond with the varions shoe parts through which it is driven. Preferably the sole is channeled to receive the pegs and they are driven consecutively from the ball line at one side of the sole, rearwardly along the shank, about the heel-seat and then forwardly to the ball line on the other side of the sole.

. The fibre pegs are also a highly desirable form oi fastening for the libre or molded shank piece which is customarily employed in all turn shoes. This is on account of their light weight, their superior holding property and the fact that their use eliminates metal from beneath the wearers 59 foot. In the ordinary turn shoe the shank piece is not securely fastened in the shank nor to the counter, but by the process of my invention the shank piece is attached rmly to the sole by a series of pegs driven at close intervals along both 5 edges in the shank and about the heel-seat. A

more secure, complete and durable fastening of the shank piece than that provided by my new process of shoemakingcan not be imagined.

Another advantage of the process of my invention becomes apparent when we consider the metal shank stiifener which forms a part of most turn shoe shank pieces. These are commonly riveted or merely tacked to the molded leather or fibre shank piece and often get adrift with disastrous results when the shoe is worn. By inserting fibre pegs as above explained and as contemplated by the present invention the metal 'shank stifener is secured permanently between double rows of pegs uniting the sole below it with the shank piece above it. The metal shank stiffener is thus secured more perfectly and reliably than by any means heretofore known or practised If a molded counter is employed in the shoe, its inturned marginal flange is caught and securely fastened by the fibre pegs. In this connection, I contemplate 'employing a bowed metallic clip for holding the forward corners of the counter, that is to say, a clip bowed at its center to fit the rounded contour of the metal shank stiffener. Theclip may be bowed to the desired shape when driven into the counter or it may be supplied already bowed. It possesses the advantage that it permits the forward ends of the counter to settle themselves against the last, or the shoe parts supported thereby, `forming a compact structure and improving the security with which the shoe parts are united. If desired the parts may be brought into even closer relation by grooving the inner face of the sole to receive the metal shank stiffener and the clip bridging it.

The distinguishing characteristics of the present invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred manner of carrying it into practice as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a View in perspectiveof the shoe lasted and sewn upon the first last,

Fig. 2 is a View in perspective of the shank piece,

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the counter,

Fig. 4 is a View in perspective of the shoe after it has been turned and upon the second last,

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on a large-scale illustrative of the fibre pegging operation, and

l'g- 6 is a view in perspective of the shoe as it appears at the conclusion of the pegging operation.

In carrying out the illustrated process the turn shoe is brought, by the steps usually followed in commercial practice, to that stage in its manufacture in which it is in condition for turning. In following the steps the turn sole I with its inner face uppermost is temporarily secured to the bottom of a last II and the upper is then completely lasted in inside-out condition with its lining portion I2 outermost. The upper is then secured to the sole by a seam I4 located in the bottom of a channel and extending through the between substance of the sole and the margin of the lined upper. The seam I4 extends rearwardly approximately to the ball line or terminates in the forward portion of the shank of the shoe or` can be continued to the breast of the heel. After the sewing operation, the margin of the upper is trimmed and the shoe, now ready for turning, is shown in this condition in Fig. 1.

The partially formed shoe is now removed from the first last II, turned right side out so that the outer portion i3 of the upper is exposed and a second last I5 is inserted. The shank piece I6, which has previously been assembled with a metal shank stiffener Il, is inserted upon the bottom of the secod last, being properly located in the heel seat and shank portions of the shoe. A molded counter I8 is also inserted at this time between the outer and lining portions of the upper at the heel-seat of the shoe, the inturned irlange of the counter overlapping the margin of the shank piece IB.

The rear portion of the sole ID has been previously channeled about the margin of its outer face from the ball line on one side rearwardly throughout the shank and heel-seat and back to the ball line on the other side, the channel flap being shown as turned up in Fig. 4. The rear,

unsecured portion of the sole I0 is now brought into position upon the heel-seat of the shoe and secured by a series of paper fibre pegs 2I driven a successively in the channel of the sole I0 beneath the flap Eil, starting near the ball line at one side of the shoe, progressing rearwardly along the shank around the heel-seat and forwardly again to the ball line on the other side of the These fastenings extend through the sole Iii, through the overlasted margin of the lining i2 and outer portion I3 of the upper, through the inturned flange of the counter I8 and through the margin of the shank piece I6 in which they 1-17 are headed or upset to some extent by contact with the last bottom..

Thepaper fibre pegs may be driven by any commercial machine adapted for this purpose, such for example, as that shown in Pat. No.

, 1,729,169 granted Sept. 2'4, 1929, on an applicalil, to become adhesive and to be rmly cemented in place holding the different layers of material above enumerated rmly and securely in position.

It will be noted that the operation of driving the paper nbre pegs 2| may be carried out completely while the shoe is positioned upon the second last I5, that is, there is no necessity for removing the last for this operation of fastening the rear portion of the sole as there is when metallic fasteners are used in the heel-seat or when the shank is secured by means of a lock stitch or McKay seam. On this account the necessity for a second relasting operation is obviated. Moreover, the shank and heel-seat are secured by a single continuous operation instead of requiring the services of two different machines and two operators as heretofore. It will be understood further, that the shank piece I6 is very firmly secured in place by a double row of fibre pegs located close to and upon opposite sides of the metal stiffener I1. This not only secures the shank piece itself in place but envelopes the stiffener I1 in a pocket between the body of the shank piece I6 and the sole III.

Any commercial form. of counter may be employed in accordance with my invention but I prefer to employ one in which the forward corners are fastened together by one or more metallic clips I9 bowed to t the rounded rib molded into the metal stiffener I'I. This permits the inturned flanges of the counter to seat snugly upon the steel stifener and the overwiped margin of the lining with the result that the heel-seat is made very compact without the necessity of subjecting the shoe or the last to excessive pressure to bring the various parts of the shoe into intlmate contact. As shown in Fig. 5 the inner face of the sole I0 may be grooved to take the stiffener I1 and the curve of the clips I9.

In Fig. 1 the sole I0 is shown as sewed as far as the forward end of the shank, but in many cases the stitch line is continued rearwardly to the breast line. In Fig. 6 a line of through and through stitching is shown as extending throughout the shank of the shoe. In this case the bre pegs 2| reinforce the stitch line in the shank to a valuab-le degree, improving the appearance and wearing qualities of the shoe in this location.

The lasting of the upper may be effected in any preferred or conventional manner, as by tacks, staples or adhesive or any desired combination of these methods. The employment of bre pegs in a cement lasted shank is desirable as reinforcing the adhesive and providing a positive form of fastening.

As already noted the operation, sometimes practised, of stitching the sole in the shank through-and-through to the shank piece requires removal of the partially completed shoe from the second last. This may be avoided in accordance with the process of the present invention and equally satisfactory attachment of the sole secured by the fibre pegs, driven while the shoe remains on its second last.

Having thus described the novel counter of my invention in its preferred form., yet recognizing that some modifications and changes may be made without departing from its spirit and scope, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent iszl. An improved molded counter having an inturned marginal flange united at its forward end by a connecting member bowed to present a pronounced centrally located corrugation shaped to t the contour of a shank stiffener.

2. An improved molded counter having an inturned marginal ange united at its forward end by a plurality ofconnecting members deformed to present corrugations conforming to the contour of a shank stiffener.

3. An improved molded counter comprising a pocket, a marginal flange, and means holding the forward ends of the ange in spaced relationship and having a pronounced and permanent curve shaped to t the contour of a shank stiffener.

WILLIAM H. BAIN. 

